ALTERNATE TALES OF THE STAR FORCE

STAR BLAZERS---PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR

Being the eighth part of THE RIKASHA INCIDENT--- BY: Frederick P. Kopetz


ACT FOUR--THE CRUCIBLE


I. THE FIRST TRIAL

Space Battleship Argo

Planet Iscandar

Wednesday, March 3, 2202

0632 Hours Spacetime


Captain Derek Wildstar was up, awake, and sitting at the Combat station on the Argo. The roar of the wave motion engine was building up below in the Engine Room. He, Venture, Nova, Sandor, Parsons, Yamazaki, Dash and Homer were all at their usual posts on the First Bridge.

They were looking up at the main video panel. Lysis was reporting in.

"As I have just informed Leader Desslok," said Lysis as his image disappeared in a burst of noise and static for a moment. "A...huge black cloud has just warped in just beyond the edge of the Sanzar System at bisect RN-52. In your measure, it is over a hundred thousand kilometers wide, and there's an energy source at the heart of it. I'll send you a view of it now."

The bridge crew looked up and saw a huge, black gaseous mass approaching the Sanzar System. It looked like a huge cloud, but then, it flashed with bizarre pink and blue lightning discharges from the inside.

"There's a fleet coming from it," said Lysis a moment later. "Over a hundred ships just came out of the object. It doesn't look like they're going to let us investigate...your assistance would be appreciated, Star Force..."

The transmission suddenly went dead.

"Message from Starsha!" cried Homer.

"Put her on the video panel."

Starsha's image came up. "Captain Wildstar, you recall the strategy that Desslok and I arranged this morning?"

"Yes, we do. I'm glad that you and he were able to come to terms."

"I did so reluctantly, Captain, at the advice of Aliscea and her mother, Astrena. I would like you to stick to what we arranged. It is important. Also, Aliscea's entering some kind of trance, and wants you to take off now. Paul is with her. She said just two words before she...entered her trance."

"They were?'

"He's here."

"Thank you, Queen Starsha."

"The best of luck to you, Captain." Then, the screen went dark.

"Well, let's not waste any time!" barked Captain Wildstar. "Yamazaki, how's the engine?"

"Both boosters are balanced and running."

"Weigh anchor," said Derek.

"Weighing anchor," said Venture.

The Argo's rocket anchor came up as the space battleship's navigation lights went on.

"Ahead, slow speed. Clear the dock!"

"Ahead, slow," repeated Venture.

With a roar, the Argo began to cruise forward away from Mother Town.

"Derek, the wind is picking up," said Nova. "I'm not sure what's causing it...maybe..."

"No need to worry," he said. "Venture, give us more speed."

"Roger."

The Argo picked up speed, rushing on as the ship's store of wave motion energy built up.

On the dock, Astra, Conor, Jonathan, a few others were waving goodbye, wishing the Argo Godspeed as the huge space battleship roared off into battle to help defend Iscandar against Ekogaru's immediate onslaught and to defend Earth against the Dark Lord's future attack.

"Energy's building up; it's at 100% now."

"Sixty seconds to liftoff," said Venture.

"All hands, brace for takeoff," said Captain Wildstar over the ship's PA system.

Down below, hands in different Groups were fastening their safety belts.

"Wave energy, now at 120%!" said Yamazaki.

"Argo, ascend!" said Wildstar.

"Argo, taking off," said Venture. He pulled back on the yoke, and the Argo reared up out of Iscandar's blue sea, seeking the sky and the sunrise. At last, the great and terrible moment had begun.

With the Star Force's mission now almost two months old, the showdown with Ekogaru himself had started.


Not long after the Argo blasted away from Iscandar, Leader Desslok contacted them.

"You were going to go out and assist Lysis at RN-52 at the edge of the system?" asked Desslok.

"Yes, we were," said Captain Wildstar. "Is something wrong?"

Desslok stood in thought. "I was able to arrange a strategy of sorts with Queen Starsha and her...Consort. Her Consort would like us to bring down as many enemy ships as possible before they enter the system. I would like you to assist Lysis, if you can until I get there. Then, leave the battle to me. When you break off the engagement with the enemy, Queen Starsha would like you to enter the cloud and probe it to ascertain the size of the enemy Fortress; then she would like you to warp back to Iscandar with the results."

"That was similar to what we discussed with Starsha this morning, Desslok. Thank you."

"My best wishes to you and Lysis in the battle," said Desslok. "I hope to see you soon."

"Thank you," said Captain Wildstar.

"Well?" said Venture.

"We're going to have to execute a space warp," said Derek. "Mark, prepare to warp us straight to RN-52. Nova, calculate a course as soon as possible. Yamazaki, prepare the wave engine for a space warp."

"Yessir," they said.

Once again, so much depends upon us, thought Derek as his crew got to work.


On Iscandar, Aliscea knelt in Starsha's audience chamber at the top of her tower in Mother Town as the wind howled outside and the sea kicked up into the streets of Mother Town. Only Paul Rosstowski, Alex Wildstar, and Queen Starsha herself were there.

"How is it going?" asked Starsha softly. Paul stood there in silence with his hand on his wife's shoulder, willing strength into her frail body.

"Thank you for helping me to focus," said Aliscea as her tears hit the floor. "I have been in touch with Ekogaru's dark spirit ever since the sun came up."

"And?"

"I've succeeded, so far, in befuddling him, I think. He doesn't think there's any life here on Iscandar. That's what I want him to think. I want him to be kept befuddled and distracted until he draws close enough to Iscandar for me to be able to do something. Then, I want to go to the balcony. You know what I have to do, Starsha."

The Queen nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Are you going to live through this?" asked Paul. "You...were with me last night, and you said it might be the last time..."

"It might well be," said Aliscea. "All of you will live, but I may not. I don't know how it will happen, but...I have foreseen..."

"Starsha, what will the Gamilons and the Star Force be doing?" asked Alex.

"They will be distracting him," said Starsha. "Ekogaru means to attack both by spiritual and conventional means. Your brother and the Gamilons will, I hope, hold off the conventional attack. Aliscea must hold off the spiritual attack. It is on her."

Alex looked in pity at the trembling woman barely out of her teens. He wondered how she could stop something as immense as Ekogaru's Fortress...


II. AT POINT RN-52

Space Battleship Argo

The Edge of the Sanzar System

Wednesday, March 3, 2202

0707 Hours Spacetime


A burst of multi-colored light appeared in deep space at the very edge of the Sanzar System. A quick moment passed, and the burst of light solidified into the space battleship Argo.

Venture sat calmly at his post as the usual hum faded. "Warp completed," he said.

"I've spotted Lysis' fleet on radar," said Nova. "They're not far from us."

"Communication from General Lysis," said Homer.

This time, Captain Wildstar saluted when Lysis came on the screen. After a long pause, Lysis returned the salute.

"Captain Wildstar; we're using Attack Plan Gamma as we practiced the other day. Per that plan, I'd like you to just keep back. My fleet is going to engage the enemy battleships when they emerge from the black cloud around the Fortress. We'll keep them busy while you prepare your wave motion gun. When I send a single microburst of data, my fleet will part to permit you to fire."

"Lysis, if we do that, you might..."

"I know, Wildstar," said Lysis. "I have met Death before and have made my peace with her. If I die today in the defense of the Empire, it will be a good death. An honorable death. I will have gone down fighting at my Leader's orders. There is one last thing I would like to say before we part."

"Which is?"

"If I do not see you again, I see now why Captain Avatar chose you to be his successor, Captain Wildstar. Like him, you are a brave and resourceful commander. If I die today, it will be an honor to die as your comrade. Farewell."

"Thank you, General," said Captain Wildstar. Derek took a deep breath. "Good luck."

Lysis nodded, and the screen went black.

"Derek, Lysis' fleet is spreading out," said Nova.

"He's also putting a destroyer screen around us," said Holly from her post.

Artwork: "Technomugar Battlewagon" Based upon original Yamato artwork-computer-altered by Frederick P. Kopetz

A moment later, the battle began. The Technomugar Fleet attacked first, targeting destroyer after destroyer in Lysis' fleet. The smaller Gamilon destroyers fought back bravely, but their guns were unable to penetrate the armor of the large, hulking black enemy battlewagons. The enemy ships fired as one, sending gouts of green fire at the defending Gamilons.

Brave soldiers died in quick agony as they faced the frustration of being unable to fend off their attackers despite their best efforts.

"This isn't any good!" yelled Volgarr as he watched the carnage from the bridge of Lysis' flagship. "We're losing to those bastards!"

"It's not over yet," said Lysis. "Carriers, launch attack planes! Hit those ships! Concentrate your attack on the bridge towers. They seem to be the most vulnerable parts of the enemy ships."

A moment later, the older, boomerang-shaped Gamilon planes took off from the disk-shaped light Gamilon carriers. The planes were heavy fighter-bombers, packed with missiles. Each of the planes could manage quite a barrage.

They flew in for the attack and began to cause damage, even though many of them were simply shot down. Some of the Gamilon pilots were so determined to do what had to be done after they ran out of missiles that they simply gritted their teeth and flew at the bridges of the 600-meter long enemy battleships like Terran kamikaze pilots of old. Like those pilots, they were yelling defiance at the enemy as they spent their lives in efforts to bring down the enemy space battleships.

Soon, their efforts bore fruit, even though it was bitter, as many of the enemy ships blew apart, and others rammed into each other. But, there were enough Technomugar ships left to continue the massacre against the Gamilons.

And, the Gamilon pilots came on, spending their lives like dust in the wind to defend the Argo and their flagship.

Captain Wildstar looked on at the spectacle in utter disbelief. "Look at the way those men are dying. And to think they were attacking us a few days ago...I don't understand it!"

"They're doing their duty to Leader Desslok by bringing down those ships and protecting us," said Nova. "But...what a terrible cost! We can't let them do that alone!"

"No, we can't," said Derek.

"Wildstar, we're supposed to await our opening," said Venture.

"That's true," said Derek. "But, nothing says I can't send in the Tigers to help those men out! Conroy! Take off with two squadrons at once!"

"Roger," said Conroy a few minutes later from his cockpit. "First squadron of Black Tigers, take off! Fourth squadron, follow me out!"

"Acknowledged!" cried Tatiana Lubyanska from her plane. Diane, you take care, she thought as she prepared to take off.

The planes took off, roaring out of their respective places aboard the Argo like burning arrows. Soon, they joined the Gamilons in battle, attacking the bridge towers and gun turrets of the enemy ships along with their blue and Caucasian-colored allies from Lysis' fleet.

The Argo took a hit or two herself, but she limited her defense to firing at some approaching Technomugar planes with her pulse lasers. In the background, the ominous cloud grew ever closer. Then, with the ferocity of a sudden summer storm, several titanic energy beams roared out of the cloud, blasting right at the enemy fleet.

Aboard Lysis' flagship, everything went dark after the Gamilon battleship took a hit to her stern.

Lysis and Volgarr struggled to their feet, with their bridge crew yelling status reports over the noise of various sirens going off. Small fires had broken out in the background, and Lysis' cyborg-repaired face was streaked with soot.

"Sir, we can't take much more of this!" cried Volgarr.

"Calm down, all of you!" shot back Lysis. "It's obvious now. The fleet was there to pin us down so that the Fortress could move in for the attack. If we get that fleet, we can launch an attack on the Fortress."

"But Desslok said we weren't to attempt an attack."

"Did he, Volgarr? Look at the course projection. That cloud is heading right towards Gamilon herself. As ruined as it is, we can't let our mother world be destroyed. First, we have to stop this fleet, then, we can mass to attack the Fortress."

"General," said a crewman. "The Argo has sent some of her fighter planes in to help us, and she's firing at the enemy fleet."

"Not yet," said Lysis. "Put me through to Wildstar!"


Lysis came up on the Argo's main screen. "Captain Wildstar! Why are you going against our strategy?"

"I couldn't let your men die like that; alone," said Derek in a heated tone of voice. "And we're under attack ourselves, now; can't you see that?"

"Damn your compassion! Someday, it will be the death of you," said Lysis. "It was my job to throw myself in harm's way so you could do yours. All of us are ready to die; especially because Gamilon is threatened. It'll be good to go out like that, today, right here, at the edge of the Sanzar System. Now, prepare your wave motion gun and pull in your pilots. If I die, don't let it be in vain Captain Wildstar...I..."

"General!" yelled Volgarr in the background. "They've knocked out our aft turrets! More fire is coming right at our stern...."

"Hard about!" snapped Lysis. "Wildstar, we're not finished..."

Then, the screen went white, and Derek gritted his teeth as he heard screams in the background. Screams and the sound of grinding metal. There was the dull thud of an explosion, and then the screen went dark and silent.

From the radar, Nova wiped away tears that she didn't expect would come. "Derek," she said in a small voice. "They just got the Gamilon flagship. Lysis...Lysis is dead."

"My God," said Venture.

"He went down like Captain Gideon did at Titan," said Sandor in a somber voice.

At her post, not sure why, Holly Parsons fought to hold back tears. Even Dash felt a pang of regret at the brave death of an honorable former enemy who had ended his life as an ally.

Derek gritted his teeth, and he got up and snapped a salute while the enemy continued to attack the Argo as well as what remained of Lysis' fleet. "Thank you, General Lysis. And farewell. Let us have that drink together in the next life....as friends. Black Tigers, return to the ship! Dash, stop firing. Venture, just try to evade the enemy fire as best we can. Stop all engines! Yamazaki, prepare to transfer all power to the wave motion gun on my mark."

"Yessir," said Yamazaki.

"Conroy's squadron is back in now, and Lubyanska's right behind him," said Homer.

"Now, Yamazaki." said Derek.

At that, the lights on the bridge of the Argo went dim. The preparations for firing began, even as missiles and beams of energy streaked around the Argo like mosquitoes in a swamp.

"Our target is the enemy fleet," said Derek as the hum of energy buildup started. "We'll just have to hang firm for two more minutes."


Deep inside the black cloud that surrounded the Technomugar Fortress, Ekogaru the Great and Yvona sat together at their massive, ornately constructed stone and brass organ; an organ that looked like something from an ancient Gothic cathedral crossed with the results of a nightmare. They were flanked by Vergar and by an officer known as Taramatz.

Taramatz shivered as he looked at an ornate carving above the keyboard, right above the first row of stop knobs. It was a skull with illuminated red eyes that looked as if it might be a kind of ivory...or, was it actual bone from one of Ekogaru's enemies? Taramatz didn't know for sure, and, perhaps, he didn't care to know.

"What an honor it is to be allowed into your Sanctum, My Lord," lied Taramatz, who was merely a hundred years old.

"I had to. I have Gralnacz out there with the Fleet," said Ekogaru. He pressed a key on his organ and brought Gralnacz up on his screen.

"Gralnacz. Bring in your main body; leave Harat's squadron behind as a diversion. Do not let him know that I consider him expendable for his past failures and that his squadron will soon be a target. When you arrive back here, I shall warp to the orbit of the ninth and tenth planets of this star system. They occupy the same orbit, and the ninth planet flanks Gamilon, which, as the eighth planet of this system, occupies the same orbit as Iscandar, the seventh planet. Then, I shall deal with the ninth planet, and Desslok, before I deal with Gamilon itself. Understood?"

"Yes, My Lord," said Gralnacz. "I am giving the order to recall the rest of the fleet now."

"Yvona, how are the efforts on Earth going?"

"I've been in touch with Joshua," said Yvona. "Sandberg and Weiner were almost spotted, but Cha'rif and Joshua are working to open up that second front. Through Joshua, I've also speaking been with someone else; an officer named Christiana Windsor. She is in Unit Five of Military Intelligence; Special Services. I believe we have her successfully turned."

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. "We shall warp out soon."

An anonymous voice on a speaker said, "Gralnacz has just turned his fleet around. He is about to warp."


On the Argo, screened by six Gamilon destroyers that were taking heavy damage, Captain Wildstar was almost ready to attack.

"Safety lock opened," said Yamazaki. "The energy level is now ninety percent."

"Sixty seconds to firing," said Derek. "All hands, prepare anti-shock and anti-flash defenses. Open target scope."

On the bridge crew, the goggles went down, and the target scope came up with a buzz. "Range to enemy fleet, twenty-one megameters," said Nova from her post. "Derek, we're right on...huh? Half the fleet's just disappeared! They've warped!"

"Maybe they're trying something," said Sandor.

"I still think we should keep up the attack to get the rest of them," said Dash.

"Nova, how many targets do we still have?" asked Derek.

"Fifty battleships, plus escorts," she said.

"Let's get them, but let's watch our back," said Venture.

"Thirty seconds to firing," said Derek.

"The energy count is now a hundred and ten percent," said Yamazaki over the whine.


 "I'm in," said Gralnacz.

"Good," said Ekogaru. "Vergar! Get us out of here! Then, we follow the plan we discussed yesterday."

"Yes, My Lord," said Vergar, who walked away from the organ to work a console. "Warp the Fortress!" he ordered. "Disperse the camouflage when we emerge from warp!"

"Yessir," said another cold voice over a comm circuit.

Ekogaru smiled and shut his eyes while a roar of energy built up just within their hearing range. The Grand Fortress was ready to move again.


"Five...four...three...two...one, ZERO!" said Derek. "FIRE!"

Wildstar pushed down on the firing stud. The Argo's wave motion gun fired, shooting a stream of blue death towards the enemy fleet.

On his flagship, Technomugar General Harat screamed as the wave energy consumed him just like it did anyone else who might get into its path without adequate protection. The Technomugar battleships went up in flames, as they were lighter than the Goraizu Fortress that Gralnacz had previously used to attack Earth back in the 20th Century.

The energy beam then roared on into the black cloud, hitting something deep within the cloud and causing a burst of blue lightning.

For a moment, Derek Wildstar's heart leaped. We got them? he thought. Is that the end of Ekogaru?

Then, Holly Parsons jumped up from her post. "Look!" she cried.

Before their eyes, the black cloud faded away like a phantom in a bad dream, leaving only open space.

"They...they warped out," said Nova. "It was a trick!"

A tense, pregnant moment passed on the Argo's quiet bridge. "I wonder where they could have gone?' said Venture. "Surely Ekogaru isn't going to give up that easily."

"Iscandar," murmured Sandor. "He must be heading straight for Iscandar. He leapfrogged over us and the Gamilon fleet."

"Nova!" cried Derek. "Calculate a course for Iscandar...and fast!"

"Yessir," she said with sweat running down her back under her tight uniform.


III. CHAOS AT SANZARAT

Gamilon Empire Listening Post 38

The Ninth Planet of the Sanzar System

Wednesday, March 3, 2202

0753 Hours Spacetime


"So, what do we have to report to the Grand Fleet?" said a minor Gamilon officer in brown armor who sat behind a console inside Listening Post 38 on Sanzarat. This listening post, a small outpost on a rocky outer planet of the system, had once been a major part of the Empire's Defense Line. The semi-abandoned post had just been reactivated a few days ago when Desslok's fleet had re-entered the Sanzar System.

"Nothing," said an enlisted man who was his assistant. "The Grand Fleet's under radio silence off between here and Gamilon, the Star Force is off with Lysis, and Starsha hasn't even sent her regards. Boring, sir. No action."

"Just like it was when I was stationed here two years ago," yawned the Caucasian-skinned officer who had been born on one of Gamilon's colony worlds and had come up through the ranks. "All we really did of note was reported that the Argo passed here with our recon satellites, and we left the rest of the job to Desslok. Sadly, the Great Leader muffed it up. Lost my wife in the holocaust that followed."

"You sound disloyal, sir."

"I'm not disloyal, just mad," said the officer. "Tasha was a good wife. And, when she died, she was pregnant."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Kerlak."

"Don't mention it," said Kerlak as he lit up a cigarette and began to smoke. "I'll find another wife...someday. When we quit wandering, that is. Gamilon. We're right in sight of her, and she's nothing but a big tomb for our people," said Kerlak as he brought a view of the mottled green, black, and orange world up on a screen. "No one'll ever live there again. Just too unstable. Nothing but a big piece of rock that will soon collapse into itself sooner or later...or explode. No good to anyone, now."

The ground shook a moment later.

"What was that?" asked the sergeant.

"I'm not sure; this planet isn't very geologically active; I'd better call the Gamilstadt..."


"Leader Desslok," said General Talan aboard Desslok's flagship. "A report from Sanzarat. They're picking up a tremor of some sort."

"I wonder if it has anything to do with that sudden loss of communications from Lysis?" mused Desslok while he sat in his command chair aboard the Gamilstadt. "I wish Wildstar would report in to let us know what's happened out there...I..."

The Gamilstadt rocked under them a moment later, and then, the ship heeled to starboard so hard that most of the bridge crew, Desslok included, fell to the deck.

"What's going on?" asked Desslok while he struggled up from the deck. "All commanders, report..."

Suddenly, a grand wave of hyperspatial displacement sent the Grand Fleet flying in all directions like tenpins struck by a careening bowling ball. Through the bridge windows of his spinning flagship, Desslok saw an expanding field of greenish-blue light, and then saw a huge black mass, ablaze with multi-colored lights, appearing at the center of the mass.

"Get this ship back on course!" demanded Desslok.

"We're trying, sir!" cried a hapless armored crewman. "She's rocking too hard for us to manage!"

Desslok's teeth bared themselves in a temperamental snarl as he watched the man struggling. "Call for aid!"

"Sir...I think I can get it my..."

"IDIOT!" yelled Desslok as the Leader of Gamilon lost his cool for a moment and shot the crewman with a hastily drawn sidearm.

Another two crewmen pushed the body aside and took the unfortunate man's place. But, they couldn't get the Gamilstadt back on course, either.

"Talan!" cried Desslok.

"Of course, sir," he said. "Let me assist you."

Talan worked the helm yoke along with the men, and as they were just able to get the ship back under control, another wave hit.

Then, Desslok himself jumped to the controls and helped Talan and the crewmen get his flagship back on something of an even course again.

Talan mopped his brow a moment later. "Sir, that was a close one."

"As if I didn't notice," said Desslok. He looked down at the body of the crewman he had killed and then at his own blaster. With a snarl of rage, he pulled out his own sidearm and flung it across the bridge.

"It was my fault, Talan," said Desslok. "When you see to the Fleet, see to it that an appropriate message is prepared for Gernak's family. Tell them he died doing his duty, and see to it that the family is honored and not treated like the family of a traitor."

"Yessir."

While Talan bent to a computer terminal to begin noting Desslok's command, a crewman called out. "We're receiving a message!"

"From where?' asked Desslok. He looked out into space and shivered a little as the black cloud dispersed, and, for the first time, the Technomugar Fortress itself was revealed to the Gamilons in all of its ugliness and arrogance. It hung many thousands of megameters behind Sanzarat like an ugly, black moon.

"Directly from the Fortress. Shall I switch to the main screen?"

Desslok nodded. Then, he looked up as an image of nearly unrelieved blackness came on the screen. Blackness pierced only by two gleaming red eyes.

Some of the Gamilstadt's bridge crew fell to their knees in fear. Desslok looked around the bridge, and, ignoring the pounding of his own heart, he drew himself up to his full height and said, "I am Desslok, Leader of Gamilon, and Emperor of the former domains of the Garuman Empire. Who are you?"

"You don't recall?" said a sepulchral voice. "We spoke before; at Pellias. I am Lord Ekogaru the Great, the Lord of the Universe. Soon, you shall bow to my authority."

The deck of the Gamilstadt shook. Desslok looked around and restored calm with a glance. On Sanzarat, part of the Gamilon base had collapsed. The gravitational balance of the planet was being disturbed by the Grand Fortress itself. The disturbance to the balance of the Sanzar System thanks to the very presence of this twisted machine was massive, and it was felt all the way to Gamilon and Iscandar themselves.


On Iscandar, the Palace in Mother Town shook. Paul Rosstowski noticed that, for the past few minutes, Aliscea had begun to glow with a soft light, as from within.

"Come closer," she murmured.

"Aliscea, look up in the sky. I can see that...thing from here. Do you see those lights in the sky? Starsha says that that is it." said Paul. "I don't want that Goddamn thing coming any closer than it already is."

"I want him to come closer to Iscandar without noticing it," said Aliscea. "And so does my mother."

"How do you know that?'

Don't you know I am in touch with her? she sent.

Sorry, thought Paul.

"The closer he comes, the deeper he comes into my trap," whispered Aliscea. "I'm ready for you now, Ekogaru. I need help from no one. I can take you. Come closer. Come on, you stinking mechanical son-of-a-bitch," said Aliscea with a smile.

"Don't provoke him!" cried Starsha. "And where did you learn to talk like that?"

"From him," said Aliscea proudly, pointing to Paul. "I am the Spirit of Pellias. But thanks to my love, I'm a little bit of South Philly, too. And, yes, I'm making him think I'm on the Argo."

"Is he attacking it?" said Alex. "Is Derek all right?"

"Derek is fine," said Aliscea. "Desslok is keeping him distracted and keeping him from looking at the Argo," said Aliscea. "Talk away, Leader Desslok. Then bring him ON!"

And, at that, Aliscea grew a little brighter, and she spread her arms with a confident smile.

"Come on," she repeated in a soft voice. "C'mon, Ekogaru...just keep on coming towards these planets...ignore Sanzarat..."


In the meantime, the tense debate between Desslok and Ekogaru continued.

"This is a star system claimed by the Gamilon Empire as a memorial to our former glory and the glory of Iscandar. We were civilized peoples. What are you?"

"Your God," said Ekogaru. Then, there was a pause.

"My Lord," whispered Yvona in his ear. "I'm picking up Aliscea. I think she's on the Argo. Do you want her captured alive?"

Ekogaru nodded curtly at Yvona once. Then, he turned again to Desslok. "Well?" he said. "What of my divinity, Gamilon?"

"We shall see, you abomination."

"My claim is true, Gamilon."

"Is it?" said Desslok.


A moment later, the Argo and her Gamilon escorts warped in near the rear of the fleet.

"My God, look at that thing," muttered Venture as he and the rest of the Argo's bridge crew actually beheld their enemy for the first time.

"It's over fifteen thousand kilometers in diameter," whispered Nova as she scanned it. "Its mass is greater than that of Earth!"

"It has the restrained energy of a good-sized star in its power plant," said Sandor after he looked at his instruments. "If it explodes, it could take this whole system out."

"And us with it?" said Holly fearfully.

Sandor nodded.

"That thing makes the Comet Empire seem like a toy," said Dash.

Homer sat up at his post. "Hey, everyone! Desslok's talking to the Dark Lord!"

"What?" said Captain Wildstar. He raised his hand, but everyone left their posts and ran off towards Homer's station. Shrugging to himself, he followed.

Just like the time Zordar and Trelaina had their chat, Derek thought. But what can Desslok do, I wonder? Sure, he has a huge fleet, but can even he defeat that? Is he going to try to attack that thing? Isn't that Aliscea's job?


Desslok chuckled. "You misunderstand me. To my people, I am a god and great victor. I understand that you are a murderer and a practitioner of genocide."

"So are you, Gamilon. I am Ekogaru the Great. I am great. Are you not also a murderer of innocents?"

"Only because our people were dying. I have since seen that there is a different path. I mean to take it. But, to ensure the peace of this local Group, I demand that you depart from here and return from whence you came. In light of your power and technological accomplishments, I am giving you one warning. If you do not heed it, I will be forced to attack you."

Ekogaru just laughed like a maniac. "An organic, telling ME what to do?"

"You don't know me, Ekogaru."

"Oh, shut up," smiled the Dark Lord. "Yvona...let's play a duet."

"What good will that do?" demanded Desslok.

"You'll se," said Ekogaru. He signalled for the line to Desslok's ship to be closed.

"Are we turned towards that planet?" said Ekogaru.

"We are, sir," said Vergar.

"Let's play," said Ekogaru. "Yvona..."

Yvona hit a strange, brittle, and discordant chord. Reddish energy surges roared from the Fortress a moment later.

Then, a second later, Ekogaru and Yvona began to play a distorted, warped version of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor that went out over all of the comm bands. The volume was so high that it came out of the organ sounding more like a bizarre, twisted noise than music. It was the sort of effect that a teenager would get if he was in a rebellious mood and turned the volume up to "30" on his home stereo system.

The sounds were so loud that, on the Argo, the bridge speakers blew out after three "notes" and the communications panel exploded in a shower of sparks. Homer got up screaming...his arm was on fire.

Nova grabbed him and beat out the flames with her bare hands, ignoring the pain. Behind her, Venture and Dash ran up with fire extinguishers and put out the blaze.

The result was much the same on most of the Gamilon Fleet. Ship after ship went silent with dead comm systems, bridge fires...some of the smaller destroyers even exploded due to massive overloads and shorts. In a moment, a Fleet that had drawn back together and become a disciplined fighting unit again was blown apart like dust in the wind.

"Get them to regroup!" demanded Desslok on his flagship as, with cold going through his body, it was evident that Sanzarat was dying. Beam after beam blasted into the small planet. The Gamilon listening post was already history.

"Sir, communications are out," said Talan.

Desslok snarled at the microphone in his hand and then flung it to the deck in utter frustration.

Finally, the Phased Density Cannon went off. Its green energy roared deep into Sanzarat's core, and, in a few moments, the planet glowed red, and then abruptly ceased to exist.

The Fortress then roared onwards like a steamroller, gathering speed with a deranged suddenness.

Then, refreshed by the energy surge, it warped again.

"It's gone," said a crewman on Desslok's flagship.

"Did you get a course heading on it?" asked Talan.

"I did, sir. You...and the Leader won't like it..."

"Speak, man!" roared Talan as he shook the frightened crewman. "Where is it going?"

"Gamilon."


IV. PASSICAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR (First Movement)

The Vicinity of Planet Gamilon

Wednesday, March 3, 2202

0821 Hours Spacetime


"Warp completed, my Lord," said a crewman over the intercom to Ekogaru's Audience Chamber.

"Excellent," said Ekogaru. He smiled at Yvona. "Wasn't Sanzarat a great meal?"

"Yes, and the deaths of those Gamilons," smiled Yvona. "And the fear in the hearts of the men on that Fleet. So much for the great Desslok, hm?"

"Oh, he'll pay in time," said Ekogaru. "Now, for his planet."

"Are we going to feed again?" asked Yvona.

"No, we're not...at least not fully. All I need from the planet is the Gamilasihum. It is a radioactive element; useful for energy transmission units. It will help build my Fleet." Ekogaru smiled as he pulled out stops on his organ. "Gamilon will not die. It will be raped and remade."

"Oh," said Yvona.

"Do not fear. It will be a base for us. I mean to take it after I take Earth," said Ekogaru with a warped smile. "Passicaglia and Fugue in C Minor, Yvona. Second Movement, please."

"What about the Gamilons?" said Yvona. "Won't they want it back?"

"After I check out Iscandar, a garrison is going down there, of course," said Ekogaru. "Don't worry. They'll live. For my ends...let's play again."

They began to plan just as Desslok's fleet began to advance upon the Fortress from the rear.

A battle started up. Ekogaru ignored it as he and Yvona played.

Beam after beam smashed into Gamilon a moment later. First, the planet's stony outer crust began to cave in; just as it had during the Argo's attack two years ago. Only, now, the cataclysm was planet-wide.

On Gamilon, in the chaos, volcano after volcano began to erupt. Soon, the planet was festooned with tongues of magma and lava as it began to come apart.


To Desslok, this was intolerable. "All ships, stand back!" he said in an enraged tone as sweat ran down his brow. "Signal that, to the Fleet with signal lights too, Talan!" he demanded. "Bring up the Desslok gun!'"

"But, sir...we only have seven hundred ships left. We've lost almost a third of the Fleet in the past few minutes!"

"Our home..." said Desslok through tears. "He's destroying it! Our dead don't even have graves any longer! I want Gamilon to live, if only as a memorial! Obey me, Talan!"

"Yessir," said Talan through a sob.

"Bring up the Desslok gun," repeated another crewman.

The huge brazen firing unit came up. With a snarl on his face, Desslok grasped the firing lever.

"One minute to firing!" said a crewman. "Energy charge now at eighty-five percent!"

"Good," said Desslok. He was shaking with delight. "I'll stop you," he raged.

On the Argo, as the blaze had been put out after Nova had taken Homer to Sickbay, communications had been restored through the board on Bridge Number Three and then patched up to the first bridge. "Toriyama!" said Wildstar to the enlisted crewman who had taken Homer's post on Bridge Three. "Patch us through to Desslok's flagship! I've got to tell him to stop that! He'll die!"

"Yessir," said Toriyama.

A moment later, Desslok's image came up on the main screen. "Wildstar," he said. "I'm not going to stop! That madman is threatening everything we hold dear, and he'll turn his guns on Iscandar, Starsha, and Aliscea next! I've got to stop him somehow!"

"But, Desslok, you'll die...like Lysis did."

"Then I'll meet him in our version of your Valhalla," smiled Desslok. "Goodbye, Wildstar. You and Nova were wonderful comrades."

Then, the screen went dark. Wildstar screamed out Desslok's name as the Gamilon fired.


Out in space, Gamilon was now a boiling, surging and burning ball of flame surrounded with a weird red field that came from the Fortress. The molten world was being sucked dry of its valuable resources and then, as Ekogaru continued to play his warped fugue, another beam began to cool the planet down.

But, Desslok didn't know that. He watched as the pink surge of energy from his ship's cannon blasted out towards the Technomugar Fortress and did....

...absolutely nothing. The deadly beam glanced off the huge black carapace of the Fortress like a pebble thrown by a child.

A moment later, a deadly stream of fire surged from the Fortress after the fields around Gamilon were released. Gamilon continued to glow, but its burning was soon overshadowed by the ferocity of Ekogaru's attack upon Desslok's fleet.

Ship after ship died. Carriers. Destroyers. Cruisers. Battleships. None of them had a chance to fight. The Gamilon Empire lost two hundred more ships in just three minutes.

Even the Gamilstadt was battered. Desslok turned to speak to Talan, and was knocked to the deck by a sudden explosion as his blue command cruiser took a horrible direct hit.

He struggled to his feet. "Talan, can we manuever? We have to counterattack!"

"We can," said Talan. "But, you'll have to help me, sir. Then you may have to help in damage control efforts. Perhaps..."

Desslok looked around, and, to his shock, he heard Astrena's voice in his mind.

Desslok, my love, you've done enough. Thank you. But, now, I need you. Your son in my womb needs you. Your people need you. Stand down and leave the rest to my daughter.

"Your daughter," said Desslok.

Yes, your stepdaughter. Hurry.

Desslok nodded.

"What was that, sir?" said Talan.

"Aliscea," sighed Desslok. "We can't do any more for Gamilon now. Signal a retreat."

"Yessir."


"This is weird," said Sandor. He was gazing at the dials and readouts at his post.

"What is it?" said Captain Wildstar. Behind him, the lift door opened. Nova came back onto the bridge with the sheen of an artificial burn skin covering the heel of her left hand.

"Are you all right?" asked Derek as he turned to her.

"Hand stings, but I'll live," said Nova. "What's happening to Gamilon?"

"It's cooling," said Sandor. "The planet's temperature has dropped two hundred degrees Kelvin in the past ten minutes. And look at it," he said as he brought up a view of it on the main screen. "It looks like it's surrounded by clouds...and what we can see of the surface seems to be monoepidermal, so to speak."

"Uh, could you say that in English?" said Venture.

"I mean...it used to have that outer crust and inner crust? Remember? Now, it's like Earth...it's got just one crust, which seems to be forming now. I don't know what kind of power that Fortress has, but it appears that they can not only destroy worlds; they can also remake them in a new image. This may sound blasphemous, but Ekogaru's power seems to be almost godlike. I'd love to know how he did this," mused Sandor.

"What did he do?" said Dash.

"It looks like he fixed Gamilon. And, if I'm not mistaken...he's going to do the same to Iscandar," said Sandor.

"Oh, no!" said Nova. "Derek, he's going to kill everyone on Iscandar!"

Derek held Nova as she tried to hold back the sobs. They were helpless to do anything as the ugly, horrid, Fortress turned towards Iscandar and began to scan the planet...


"No life signs," said Gralnacz. "Nothing's alive down there. Do you wish to commence the operation now? We have those arrogant Gamilons scattered, and our landing party will be ready to hit Gamilon in an hour after it cools."

"We might as well get to it," said Ekogaru. He began to adjust the stops on his organ again. "Yvona, you suggest a song this time."

"Beethoven" she said with a smile. "Fur Eloise for organ."

"I haven't heard it, so you play this time, Yvona."

"Marvelous, my Lord," Yvona smiled, glad that she was being given a solo. She grabbed Ekogaru and kissed his mouth, mingling her abominable tongue with his as she touched him openly in a lewd, disgusting and suggestive manner that most couples saved for the bedroom or an isolated meadow or beach.


On Iscandar, Aliscea smiled. She was alone now, except for Paul. Even Starsha didn't want to look her doom right in the face. The Fortress now loomed in Iscandar's sky, almost as large as Gamilon herself.

"Paul."

"Yes, Aliscea?"

She kissed him. "This might be our last kiss," she whispered.

The two lovers shared a searching, deep kiss. Their tongues touched, and Paul touched his wife's rump and held her close. Tears ran down his cheeks as he held the glowing woman close to him, not wanting to let go.

"I'm ready," she whispered. "Please let go."

Paul nodded and stood back.

Immediately, Aliscea burned bright like a beacon. She threw out her arms and screamed at the sky.

"This is a communication from Aliscea of Pellias and the peoples of Pellias, Iscandar, Gamilon, and Earth directly to Ekogaru the Great himself! Ekogaru! I demand your answer!"

Paul was simply speechless. He had never heard Aliscea use such a loud voice before. He didn't know how she expected to reach HIM like that without a comm unit.

A minute later, Ekogaru responded with one, loud, thunderous word. "Yes?"

"LEAVE!" demanded Aliscea in an equally thunderous voice. She now no longer looked human. She looked more like an avenging Angel of Death.

Ekogaru simply laughed. His laughter shattered crystal buildings on Iscandar. His laughter blew a hurricane-force wind in Aliscea's face that almost blinded Paul Rosstowski.

His laughter made Iscandar shake.

On the Fortress, Yvona was ready to play.

On Iscandar, Aliscea threw back her head, extended her arms, and then...

...she screamed.


Something that looked like lightning mixed with fire roared up from Aliscea's hands. It looked as if the Pellian had somehow become a human wave motion gun beam.

The beam started small, but it gathered strength, size, and punch as it roared up into the sky of Iscandar.

The beam was a meter wide when it left Aliscea's hands.

It was ten meters wide when it went a few hundred meters up...when it pierced Iscandar's lower atmosphere, it was twenty kilometers wide and growing wider.

When it roared into space, it was several hundred kilometers wide.

Yvona never got to play a note. She screamed and fell against Ekogaru as the expanding field smashed into the Technomugar Fortress.

For the first time in thousands of years, the arrogant construction rocked.

The massive ship creaked and groaned about the Dark Lord. The field began to crush it, snapping off towers, killing Technomugar troops like flies.

Ekogaru's cyborg legions began to die as they were literally roasted alive inside the blue, burning field.

Status reports began to roar in to Ekogaru.

"What?" he roared back. "You're losing control?"

"Yessir," said a frightened voice. "It's...it's...beginning to break up...it's..."

Ekogaru screamed as he fell to the deck with purplish blood pouring from his nose.

"My Lord!" cried Yvona.

Ekogaru blew his nose and more blood came out. "Aliscea!" he yelled. "Attack! Destroy that planet!"

"Lord, we can't attack....we..."

Ekogaru heard a beeping noise and ran to a screen. "Gralnacz! Vergar! We're losing structural integrity! WARP US OUT OF HERE!"

"Lord, if we warp, I don't know where we'll go...or how much of the ship we'll..."

"Then do it!" roared Ekogaru. He gritted his teeth and screamed, "I can't even TOUCH Aliscea! My psionic enhancements are useless! WARP!"

"Sir, we're beginning to explo..."

"DO IT!"


Just as fire burst out of the Technomugar Fortress, it disappeared in a great burst of light.

On the Argo, a loud burst of cheering went up.

"Yeah!" yelled Dash. "Aliscea did it!"

"Yaaaah!" yelled Hardy as he ran up on the bridge. "We won!"

Dash and Hardy cheered, and Nova got up and hugged Derek. "I think she did it, Derek! I'm so happy!"

"Yeah!" said Derek as he hugged her.

Nova laughed, feeling as if she wanted to dance. A minute later, she did for a moment. Holly got up and hugged Venture from behind, and Yamazaki shook hands with Derek. "Does this mean we can get home soon?"

"Maybe," said Derek. "I hope so...."

"Hmmm," said Sandor. "I picked up something odd in that ball of gas. Hard to analyze...this might take days."

"But we...I mean...Aliscea finished that thing, didn't she?" said Nova.

"I think she did," said Sandor to a fresh burst of cheering. Conroy had heard the news, and he was followed by Doctor Sane and IQ-9. IQ was carrying a huge case of sake.

"Let's celebrate!" yelled Doctor Sane. "Look at that beautiful sight," he said with a sniff while taking off his glasses to wipe away tears of joy. "This is the icing on the cake. All of that fighting finally accomplished something!"

The comm unit above Wildstar's Combat Station below the bridge window beeped. "Yes?" he said as he brought up the mike at his post.

"I have Rosstowski on the line. Voice-only."

"Patch him through."

"This is Rosstowski," he said. "Aliscea's very weak, but she just came out of her trance. She says she doesn't feel Ekogaru anywhere in the area. He must be dead, she thinks. And Starsha agrees with her."

"Paul, give her our thanks. We'll be landing on back Iscandar soon." He looked at what Sandor was doing and noticed he had a readout of Gamilon up at his post. "Sandor's analyzing what happened to Gamilon. It seems to have undergone some kind of...metamorphosis."

"Well, that's not the most important thing at the moment," said Rosstowski, "even though Desslok might think so, perhaps. The important thing is that we finally finished off Ekogaru! YEAAAH!"

"Yeah, we did," said Derek as tears of joy ran from his eyes at last. At last, he was beginning to believe it. "We'll see you guys later on Iscandar."


V. VICTORY (??)

Planet Iscandar

Mother Town

Wednesday, March 3, 2202

1745 Hours Spacetime


Queen Starsha knew that there was going to be a party. So, she let the celebrants have it on a very appropriate place; aboard the Argo, which was now back alongside the quay near Mother Town.

Behind it, also at anchor, sat the Gamilstadt, bobbing peacefully in the water. Starsha had finally allowed Desslok to set foot on Iscandar again both as a token of goodwill and also in appreciation for what the Gamilons, after all, had done to defend Iscandar along with Earth.

On the Argo's weather deck, an impromptu sound system had been set up. Something like big-band music played in the background as Nova (with Derek's full consent) shared a jitterbug with Fraken of Gamilon. Luckily, for her, Fraken seemed to pick up Terran dancing fairly quickly; Nova's toes were quite safe from being trodden upon, even though she had changed back into her pink dress and dress sandals.

Derek ran by, carrying a bottle of sake. He was still in his Star Force whites. Nova, without missing a beat, grabbed the bottle from his hand and took a quick swig, and then wiped the lip of the bottle and offered some to Fraken.

"I'm not sure," he said.

"It's good, try some!" giggled Nova.

Fraken shrugged and he took some. "Not bad!" he said. Another Gamilon officer ran up. Mystified, he took some. Then, he smiled. "You Terrans brew good stuff!" he said, clapping Wildstar on the back as "In The Mood" came to an end.

Everyone around applauded, and Wildstar looked up at the sky. "I can't believe she did it, Nova," said Derek.

"Oh, she did," said Nova with a smile. She put an arm around her husband and gave him a kiss on the nose. "I wonder what's coming up next?"

"Did you make up the program?"

"No...someone from my Group did, along with someone from the Gamilon side."

Nova smiled as something that sounded like alien Viennese waltz music came up. "Is that Gamilon?" said Derek.

"I think so," said Nova. "Sounds like Strauss, doesn't it? Let's dance to this..."

"Good news!" said Sandor as he ran up. He tried to follow the Captain and Nova as they twirled around the deck together.

"Yeah?" said Derek.

"This had better be good, I'm dancing, Steve," said Nova as she pretended to punch Sandor in the nose.

"Well, I analyzed Gamilon. It's cooled more, the surface has stabilized, and it's raining."

"Probably raining acid," said Derek.

"It may not be. The Gamilons are helping us do a spectral analysis. It doesn't look like acid."

"What might it be?"

"Water," said Sandor. "And the crust seems to be thicker than it was before."

"Steve," said Nova "does that mean that...?"

"It means that if things go a certain way, and if the sulfur is somehow out of the loop, Gamilon may be a livable planet again. That's why Desslok left in such a hurry. He's back there on his ship discussing the preliminary scans with some of his engineers. When things are stable enough, if the planet's ecosystem isn't filled with acid all over again, he may want to send an expedition after the exploration robots go down and back. Of course, no Technomugar troops ever got to land on Gamilon. Aliscea kind of kept that from happening."

"Can I go down?" said IQ-9. "I'm not just a robot. I'm a genius robot!"

"I'll have to talk to Desslok about that," said Sandor. "But, yes, tinwit, you might be able to go down and do some exploring."

"Oh boy, I hope I don't melt in the rain."

"Wear a raincoat!" giggled Nova.

"Are you drunk?" asked IQ.

"No, giggly," said Doctor Sane. "There's a difference between drunk and giggly. You should know it."

"Let me check," said IQ-9. He poured some sake over himself and then began to hiccup. "Hic," he said. "Now I'm drunk!"

Holly Parsons, who was in shorts and a t-shirt, laughed at that one, squealing as Venture caught her from behind in a hug. They began to kiss against the nearby weather deck railing, oblivious to IQ's antics for a minute.

The robot ran off hiccupping as Nova giggled a little more and took Mimi out of Doctor Sane's arms for a minute. She looked very happy, playing "get me" with Mimi as the cat tried to paw at her hand. A current 23rd century pop hit played in the background. The singer was singing in Japanese, and it was a very cute piece. Nova thought the title was "Two Loves". She rather liked it.

"H4ey, look!" yelled Homer, who was in good spirits, even though his arm was bandaged up. "Aliscea's here!"

"All right!" yelled Diane Henson as Paul helped a slightly shaky Aliscea up the gangplank. "Tell us, Aliscea. Is he really dead?"

"Well, I don't feel his presence, and I didn't feel him warp, but...yeah...Paul and Starsha and Astra and I agree that he's dead."

"YEAAH!" yelled Diane. She showered Aliscea with kisses and hoisted the protesting girl in the black dress up onto her shoulders. "Let's all give a big hand for Aliscea Rosstowski! Thanks to her, Mark Venture and Holly Parsons can go home, get married, and have a hot wedding night!"

"Yes!" yelled Hardy as he ran up and kissed a protesting Aliscea's left foot (easy to reach, since Diane was lifting her up on her shoulders and Aliscea wore her usual sandals). "Sorry, ma'am, but that's only because ah can't reach yoah lips!"

"I protest!" said Rosstowski. "Those lips belong to me!"

Tatiana Lubyanska ran up (in a swimsuit) and offered Diane some sake. She took the bottle and took a swig.

On the deck, some old 20th century Earth music began to play.

"Excuse me," said Fraken as he came up (with a giggling Terran nurse from the Argo holding hands with him) "Captain Wildstar, can you explain the words of this song?"

"Words?" said Derek.

"Yes. What is...I quote "a Super Freak?""

At that, Venture and Wildstar began to laugh.


Later on, Derek was sitting alone in the Argo's communications booth, speaking with Commanding General Singleton. He had affected a more formal appearance, putting his peacoat and ascot back on for his talk with the Commander.

"So, Ekogaru is defeated?"

"We're 95% sure, sir," said Derek. "At any rate, we know that he's not in the system, and the Gamilons even found debris from that Fortress of his. They're analyzing it now to see what's happened."

Singleton closed his eyes for a moment. "We owe Aliscea a great debt of thanks," said the Commander. "Anything that we can do for her and Ensign Rosstowski...well...it won't be enough."

"I was thinking, sir," said Wildstar. "He's been such a supportive influence for her, and he's served so well...can we promote him to Lieutenant? Him and Hemsford."

"I don't have anything to say against it," said the Commander. "As for the Rikashans...the threat is gathering. How soon do you think you can be back?"

"Desslok has helped us to assist him in analyzing the results of Gamilon's apparent change and I've also offered to help any survey parties with food and medical assistance. We also have to analyze what became of the Fortress. Can we begin heading back in two weeks, sir?"

"Two weeks....that means you'd be back in a month afterwards....around the middle of April. Permission granted, Wildstar, but you might be subject to recall sooner if we need you."

"Of course, sir," said Derek as he saluted. "You can count on us, sir."

"One last thing. What effect does Aliscea think Ekogaru's death will have upon the Rikashans?'

"She thinks that maybe his death will disillusion them. Maybe they might even abort their holy war?"

"If that's the case, maybe we've just been delivered today, Captain. I'll be in touch," said Singleton.

He and Wildstar shared a salute, and the screen went blank.

Well, that's that, thought Wildstar. Wonder what Nova's up to? She said she had work to do...


It was around twenty-three hundred when Wildstar got back up to their quarters.

When he got there, he found Nova sitting on their bunk in full uniform, although she had taken her gunbelt off. She looked very quiet.

"Nova?" asked Derek as he shrugged out of the peacoat he had put on to talk with the Commander. "Are you all right?"

"Well, I was giggly before, but getting back into my uniform and doing some work got me thinking, Derek. Probably a silly fear, but..."

"But what?"

"Derek, what if he's not really dead?"

"Who?"

"The Dark Lord," she said as she put her face against her knees and shivered. "What if Aliscea didn't kill him? What if he's just hurt? And mad? A wounded animal is the most dangerous creature I know of, Derek."

"Nova, Aliscea said she's dead. I wish you'd believe her. And Starsha. And our instruments..."

"Guess I should," she sighed. "I guess I'm just being a silly old goose."

"Hey..." he said as he stroked her hair. "I can take care of that..."

"Derek," she said in a tiny voice.

At that, Derek sat on the bed and they embraced. Then, his hand began to undo the zipper on the back of Nova's uniform.

"What are you doing?" asked Nova.

"Getting you ready for bed."

"I'm not sleepy," she whispered.

She stroked Derek's cheek and gave him a kiss.

"Please, get back to what you were doing...with that zipper..."

"Nova..."


45,000 Lightyears Away From Iscandar

At the Same Time....

"They broke it," said a deep voice filled with rage. "They broke my dream. They broke my organ," he hissed.

In the smoking room, Ekogaru the Great picked some keys up from off his organ and threw them to the floor.

"Close to a million are dead," said Vergar as he coughed, fanning away some smoke.

"How is Yvona?" said Ekogaru.

"She's still being looked over by the doctors, Lord. They think she'll live."

"How's the warp mechanism?" said Ekogaru.

"Still broken," said Vergar. "We can't go anywhere...yet. And the Phased Density Cannon..."

"Spare me," said Ekogaru as he lifted his hand. It still had some of his "blood" on it. "Broken, right?"

"Yes, Lord. They're beginning to wonder if you are really in..."

"SILENCE!" said Ekogaru. "I may be beaten...for the nonce. I may be down, but I am not out. I have other plans. One way or the other, Aliscea of Pellias shall pay. NO ONE thwarts the plans of Ekogaru! NO ONE!"

 

To Be Continued With Act Five: "Farewell, Iscandar"


 THERE ARE NOW ??? DAYS TO THE ARRIVAL OF EKOGARU IN EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM


To return to the Introduction to the Rikasha Incident please click here